1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunications and, more particularly, to methods and systems to facilitate anonymous operation of a mobile node.
2. Description of Related Art
Mobile devices are increasingly using wireless systems to send and receive voice, data, and other media in packet-data form. Such wireless systems may include, for example, wireless local area networks (WLANs) and wireless wide area networks (WWANs). WLANs may use protocols, such as 802.11, HiperLAN, HomeRF, or Bluetooth for air interface communications. WWANs may use protocols, such as EV-DO, cdma2000, EDGE, GPRS, UTMS, or HSDPA for air interface communications.
In many cases, a wireless system will authenticate a mobile device before allowing the mobile device access to packet-data services. The authentication process may be used to verify that the mobile device and its user are, in fact, authorized for packet-data services. The authentication process may use protocols, such as RADIUS or DIAMETER. For example, in order to request access to a packet-data service, the mobile device may transmit authentication information to the wireless system that is currently serving the mobile device. The serving wireless system may then forward the authentication information to an authentication server. The authentication server checks the authentication information and instructs the serving wireless system whether to grant the mobile device access to the requested packet-data service.
One disadvantage with this approach is that it may not be entirely secure. Although some of the authentication information may be encrypted, the authentication information may also include one or more mobile node identifiers that are not. Such mobile node identifiers may include, for example, a mobile directory number (MDN) and/or network access identifier (NAI). Thus, in order to be granted access to packet-data services, a mobile device user may be required to reveal its identity to the serving wireless system and, thus, to anyone with access to the serving wireless system.
Revealing one's identity may be particularly undesirable when the mobile device is roaming, i.e., being served by a wireless system other than its home system. The mobile device user may be unsure as to what the serving system's policies are with respect to using his personal information, i.e., his identity and his use of packet-data services while connected to the serving system. The mobile device user may also be unsure as to how secure the serving system is, i.e., how easily others may access his personal information while connected to the serving system. Security concerns may be particular acute when roaming internationally.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide methods and systems that can enable mobile devices to operate more securely.